Transfer of threadlines between spindles



Juiy 22, 1969 w, HAYMAN 3,456,435

TRANSFER OF THREADLINES BETWEEN SPINDLES Filed April 26, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jail Ja @AMEQ MM A tlomeys July 22, 1969 N. w. HAYMAN 3,456,435

TRANSFER OF THREADLINES BETWEEN SPINDLJES Filed April 26, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lnvenlor J4EE; Wiezffonmqw Attorney s July 22, 1969 w. HAYMAN 3,45

TRANSFER OF THREADLINES BETWEEN SPINDLES Filed April 26, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor Attorney;

United States Patent US. Cl. 57-456 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A running threadline on e.g. a drawtwister is transferred to an adjacent spindle by tightening a loop of a lacing yarn round it and pulling it to the spindle.

The invention concerns improvements in or relating to the transfer of threadlines between spindles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In view of the time taken for doffing packages of yarn from spindles by which they have been wound, and in view of the process and product disadvantages encountered due to slowing-down and starting-up the machine, as for instance a drawtwisting machine, on which the yarn is wound, a requirement is known to exist for automatically transferring a threadline from a position in which the yarn is being wound by one spindle to another, neighbouring position in which it is Wound, without slackening of speed, by another spindle. Once such transfer has taken place, it is possible to dofi' the completed packages (or, in practice, the row of completed packages on a machine) rather more at leisure without harmful consequences to productivity.

OBJECT The primary object of this invention is the effecting of the transfer of a threadline between spindles on a drawtwisting machine, in such manner that the drawn yarn is continuously delivered and wound-up without slackening in speed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a running threadline is transferred from being delivered to one spindle of a pair of spindles to being delivered to the second spindle of said pair, by looping one end of a lacing yarn around but out of contact with the said running threadline, said lacing yarn being anchored at its other end for subsequent rotation with a bobbin mounted on said second spindle, tightening said loop to grip said threadline by commencing rotation of said second spindle and entraining and/ or rotating the lacing yarn thereby, severing said threadline at a location downstream of where said loop was formed around it, and transferring the free end of said threadline, to be Wound up by said second spindle, by pulling it thereto by said lacing yarn.

A running threadline is the path of a yarn travelling linearly from one station to another, and the occupation thereof by successive lengths of the yarn itself.

It will be appreciated from the above definition of the invention that each position on a machine for winding yarn comprises two wind-up spindles.

When yarn had been wound in a full-weight package on one spindle, the threadline is gripped by the lacing thread and, after severance of the threadline leading to said one spindle downstream of the gripping point, it is diverted from its path leading to said spindle and transferred to deliver to the second spindle, to be wound there- 3,456,435 Patented July 22, 1969 by without alteration in the speed of delivery. The first spindle is then braked, and the full package doffed.

The lacing yarn is discardable as waste, along with the first few feet of the free end of the transferred threadline, including the doubled portion adjacent the gripping loop.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A convenient means for forming the open loop and for subsequently allowing it to slip over and grip the running threadline is an annular member through the middle of which the threadline is passed. The loop at one end of the lacing yarn is then formed on the exterior surface of the annular member, and hence out of contact with the threadline. If the loop is in the form of a slip-knot, the loop will tighten as soon as tension is applied to the other end of the lacing yarn, e.g. by the commencement of rotation of the second spindle. Instead of having the other (free) end of the lacing yarn directly clamped to the second spindle, it may be preferred to have it anchored to a holding device adjacent thereto, and then to move the yarn or the device into contact with a rotating part of the spindle once that is already rotating, eg at full speed.

The annular member is so constructed, of resilient material, that said tightening of the loop will cause it to squeeze the downstream end-portion of the member and hence to slip itself off that end and into contact with the threadline, and then to grip the threadline as it quickly tightens into a knot.

For example, the annular member may be made of natural or synthetic rubber or of flexible plastics material, and may serve as the holder for circumferentiallyspaced, downwardly-extending flexible pins around which the loose loop is formed. When the loop is tightened, the pins will be deflected inwardly, and the loop slip off around the threadline passing therethrough.

The means for severing the running threadline can take the form of a knife or preferably, when the yarn is thermoplastic, be constituted by a highly heated surface, e.g. an electrically heated wire or cylindrical plate at red heat, with which the threadline is brought into contact and heated to the point of fusion. The severing means may be electrically actuated, e.g. by the means providing for commencement of rotation of the second spindle, such as the spindle brake thereof.

It is convenient to have the lacing yarn of the same material as the yarn in the running threadline.

For instance, on a drawtwisting machine for drawing nylon yarn, it is normal to use a short piece of nylon yarn, preferably undrawn, as the lacing yarn. The preference for undrawn yarn, e.g. 205 denier/34 filament yarn of nylon 66, arises owing to its give, which allows time for the geometrical arrangement of the threadlines at the severing means to be taken up as shown in FIG- URE 2, which will be described hereinafter.

Conveniently, on a drawtwisting machine, the annular member, or loop-holder, is positioned equidistantly between, and upstream of, the two pigtail (balloon) guides of the respective first and second spindles of the pair. The threadline severing means is positioned so as to act on the threadline between the annular member and each of the balloon guides; and separate severing means for each position of the threadline may be provided, but a single one is preferred for economy reasons.

The method according to the invention allows for transfer of all the threadlines of a machine simultaneously, to be wound up on fresh bobbins, whilst actual doffing of the completed packages, and lacing-up of the positions for transfer in the opposite Way, may be undertaken by the operative at a convenient rate.

This is especially important in the case of the desirable long-to-short build of drawtwist package, Where the traverse of the rings of the drawtwisting machine has to be returned to its longest stroke at the completion of winding. Obviously, it is preferable that all the ring be ganged in a ring-rail, as individual ring traverses are more expensive. This means, however, that all positions have to be defied simultaneously, and not, for instance, consecutively by a dofling machine travelling along the front of the machine. This the invention permits, by separating the transfer function, which can be simultaneously effected, from the actual dofiing (i.e. package removal) function, which may be undertaken in sequence.

THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show the sequence of events for threadline transfer on a modified drawtwisting machine, and in which FIGURE 1 shows the threadline during the final stages of the winding of the yarn on a first spindle and tubular containers thereon;

FIGURE 2 shows a portion only of the apparatus and threadlines of FIGURE 1 at a point in time during the transfer of the threadline; and

FIGURE 3 shows the start of winding of the transferred yarn on a second spindle, and the severance of the residual threadline leading to the first spindle and tubular container.

Referring to the drawings, the yarn threadline 18 passes from the draw roll 1 of a drawtwisting machine, through knotholder 2 and pigtail guides 3 and 4A to be wound up on bobbin 7 on position A1 by ring and traveller held in ring tray 6. The knotholder 2 consists, e.g. of a mounted slotted rubber 20 through which protrude a number of pins 21. The purpose of this knotholder is to support a lassoo 10 of a lacing yarn 19, the end of the lassoo having a slip knot. The yarn 19 passed through guides 3, 4B and 12 and is anchored, e.g. by a strip of Velcro (Reg. T.M.) fastening material, at point 13 close to the base of position B2. Each of the spindles illustrated has a slotted disc 14 underneath the bottom of the tubular container 22 which fit on the spindle 23. A cylindrical heater 16 is positioned as shown, beneath pigtail guide 3.

In operation, with the yarn 18 running onto position A1 it is desired to transfer the threadline to position B2. The sequence of events is that lacing yarn 19 is first en meshed in disc 14 by actuation of arm 15. The threadline tightens and the lassoo around the knotholder closes deforming the pins and slipping off them downwards. FIG. 2 illustrates the intermediate position obtained with both threadline 18 and 19 taut, the lassoo 10 closed and the threadline 18 pulled against the red hot heater 16. The threadline 18 is severed by the heat, and FIG. 3 shows the broken end from the draw roll firmly held by the closed lassoo 10 being taken on its way to start Winding up on position B2. The end of lacing yarn 19 anchored at 13 ultimately breaks.

The use of undrawn yarn for the lacing yarn 19 ensures that, when threadline 18 is severed, there is very little slack in the line from the draw roll 1 to be taken up.

A preferred arrangement of wind-up spindles is shown in FIG. 1. A second spindle rail 17 is fitted with spindles Z, A1, B1 etc. mounted in front of the existing spindles A2, B2 etc. The spindles A1 and A2, B1 and B2 etc. are connected by belts 8, the rear set of spindles being driven by the conventional belt 9. The ring tray 6 is also extended to hold a second ring. The transfer doff arrangement is diagonal i.e. A1+B2, B1 C2 etc. One extra spindle, Z, is included on the front rail to allow transfer to A2. Each draw roll 1 thus serves either a front spindle (e.g. A1) or the back spindle of the next pair (e.g. B2). It is thus possible to have yarn from two neighbouring draw rolls winding on the same position (e.g. A1 and A2) whilst the next pair of spindles (B1 and B2) are stationary (the braking system, which for clarity, is not shown, is so arranged that, on braking, B2 is disconnected from belt 9 and thus B1 stops also). As both B1 and B2 are stationary, full packages can be easily removed and both spindles strung up with the lacing threadline 19. If this disposal system is not used and dofiing is from Al-AZ, B1 B2 etc., then, when the yarn is winding on the front spindle, it may be impossible to remove the package from the rear spindle and to lace it up for the next doff.

The maximum speed possible appears to depend on the heater 16. Using a hot electric wire, 210/34 nylon 66 can be transferred at 2000 feet per minute, with a high success rate. Using a piece of brass plate heated to red heat, 3000 feet/minute can be obtained.

What I claim is:

1. A process by which a running threadline is transferred from being delivered to one spindle of a pair of spindles to being delivered to the second spindle of said pair, comprising the steps of (a) looping one end of a lacing yarn around but out of contact with said running threadline while said threadline is running normally to said one spindle;

(b) achoring the other end of said lacing yarn on or adjacent said second spindle, for subsequent rotation thereby and for winding on a bobbin mounted thereon;

(c) initiating transfer by commencing rotation of said second spindle whereby said other end of the lacing yarn is caused to wrap around said bobbin and hence to tighten the loop around said threadline and then to grip it;

((1) severing said threadline at a location downstream of where said loop was formed around it; and

(e) completing transfer of the gripped end of said running threadline, to be wound up on the bobbin of said second spindle, by pulling it thereto by said lacing yarn.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the threadline transfer takes place diagonally from a front spindle of a pair of spindles disposed perpendicularly to the length direction of the machine to the rear spindle of an adjacent such pair of spindles, or vice versa.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the lacing yarn is undrawn yarn of the same material as the yarn of the running threadline.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the material of the yarn of the running threadline is thermoplastic, and severance thereof is effected by fusion when contact of said yarn at said downstream location with a heated surface is brought about due to displacement of said threadline by the pulling action of said lacing yarn.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,822,018 9/1931 Deile 57-34.5 1,959,452 5/1934 Welch. 1,976,332 10/1934 Curtis. 2,431,323 11/ 1947 Graybeal. 2,432,564- 12/1947 Elvin et a1. 57-34 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner 11.8. C1. X.R. 

